


The Time Traveler's Husband

by LittleBlueBook



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - The Time Traveler's Wife, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Character Death, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, References to Canon, Sad with a Happy Ending, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-17 01:52:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14822960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleBlueBook/pseuds/LittleBlueBook
Summary: “It’s like gravity,” Sonny explained. “Big events pull you in.”Rafael’s smile turned cocky.“Am I a big event?”“It appears so.”





	The Time Traveler's Husband

**Author's Note:**

> For the Barisi Cinema Bang.
> 
> Thanks to BarbaEsparza for the beta and support. And to all the people who encouraged this and welcomed me into the SVU fandom with loving arms, let me use their characters and their names, who are the loveliest people. These Supreme beings are legendary authors and friends. 
> 
> This is an AU of the Time Traveler's Wife, there is major character death, consider this your only warning.
> 
> Please leave feedback in the form of comments, constructive criticism and kudos. Pure hate will be promptly made fun of and deleted.
> 
> After all "If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"

Hot.

  


Sweaty.

  


Naked.

  


It took the man a moment before he realized he was naked. Soon he was up, running, sprinting, as fast as his legs could take him.

  


Frightened. 

  


Shouting.

  


Slurred insults.

  


“Hey.”

The man whipped his head around to try and work out who was speaking to him. A small child, a boy, no older than ten, maybe twelve. He found his voice raspy, “Hey.”

“If you run around naked, Mister, you’re gonna get beat.”

“Not intentional, kid,” the man muttered, he reached down to cover himself, not wanting to scar the kid further.

The kid looked at him, a single brow cocked, as though he was a fool. The man knew he was. “You need some clothes?”

“You think?” The man rolled his eyes, huffed, and gestured to his naked form with his spare hand.

The boy just smirked, turned, then raised a hand waving the man onwards. “Follow me.”

  


So he did.

  


They ducked behind dumpsters and darted through alleys. The kid knew how to avoid being seen, what shadows to disappear into.

Eventually they climbed up a fire escape and into an open window.

“Rafael Barba,” a woman shrieked. The man’s heart froze. He studied the boy again. “Where have you been?”

“Out, Mami.”

“Get yourself in here now.”

  


_ The all too confident voice. _

  


“Hey, you gotta move.”

  


_ The exceptionally smug grin.  _

  


The man felt a familiar tingling in his bones. “I’m working on it.”

  


_ Dirty brown hair. _

  


“Move!”

  


_ Viridian green eyes. _

  


“See you on the seventeenth, kid.”

  


_ The name that made his heart race. _

  


He felt himself melt into nothing and soon he was home again, staring into the familiar striking green eyes he had only seen a moment ago.

“Rafael,” he murmured, before he dragged himself towards the bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

He felt a reassuring hand on his back rubbing soothing circles. “Sonny.”

Sonny Carisi slumped against the toilet bowl and groaned, travelling through time was a bitch.

  


* * *

  


Sonny had been traveling since he was eight.

Vague memories of being scared and comforted by his other selves came to him in flashes.

The first time he clearly remembered traveling was when he was fifteen.

His sister announced that she was pregnant, she was barely twenty-one.

Their Nonna let out a sob. She beat and clutched at her chest, they all assumed she was being theatrical as always. Moments later, she was dead.

And Sonny had vanished.

Only a small pool of clothes sat where he had sat.

  


* * *

  


The first time Dominick “Call me Sonny” Carisi met Rafael Barba he was absolutely floored.

  


The man was handsome.

  


Incredibly smart.

  


Had a sharp tongue.

  


And absolutely detested Sonny.

  


Rafael Barba looked at Sonny as though he were the piece of gum he had just scraped off the bottom of his five hundred dollar shoes.

Rafael Barba spoke to Sonny as though he were five, his tone always condescending.

Rafael Barba occupied every spare thought that Sonny had.

  


During the day.

  


Of an evening.

  


In the shower.

  


Rafael Barba was a menace, but Sonny found himself slowly falling for the man.

  


* * *

  


Sonny learned early on that he couldn’t control it.

No matter how hard he tried, the when, the how, the why, was all random.

Occasionally he saw himself.

  


Older.

Younger.

It didn’t matter.

  


They clung together, helping each other, protecting each other until it was finally time for one of them to disappear.

Leaving the other alone.

  


* * *

  


Sonny was sitting in Barba’s office when he felt dizzy, after twenty years he knew this feeling well.

He tried to excuse himself.

  


He was sick.

He was hungry.

He was tired.

  


Barba wasn’t having any of it.

He placed the jury cards in front of Sonny and forced him to make his choices.

It was too late, within moments Sonny was gone.

  


* * *

  


That was the first time he saw the teenager.

A cocky little shit with vibrant green eyes.

He looked at Sonny and flashed him an exceptionally cocky grin, as though he had met him before.

It could have also been because Sonny was naked.

Either way he threw a pile of clothes at him before disappearing with a brief apology. 

It didn’t matter either way.

Sonny had barely put his pants on before he started to fade.

The boy would later return, pick up the clothes and hide them for the next time he encountered the time traveler.

  


* * *

  


The first thing Sonny felt when he finally hit the plush, carpet floor was relief.

Then there was dread.

He felt hands on his shoulders.

He bolted upright, and turned himself to face whoever had been touching him.

  


“It’s alright, Sonny.”

  


Rafael Barba.

  


“Take these,” the prosecutor handed him a pile of clothes. “I’ll leave you to get dressed.”

True to his word he left the room and Sonny had a chance to look around. He was in Barba’s office, naked.

  


Well fuck.

  


Sonny quickly dressed himself, surprised at how well the black jeans and green henley Barba had given him fit. “I’m dressed.”

Barba returned with a small smirk on his face.  


The feeling of dread returned. Sonny felt more naked now than he had when he was literally naked.  


“I guess this is your first time?” The question made Sonny’s skin crawl.  


Sonny tried to play it off. “I’m not sure what you mean.”  


“You seem surprised that I found you--”  


“You’re not surprised to find me naked in your office?” Sonny didn’t expect the squeak that came.  


The prosecutor stopped and looked at Sonny, his tone was unusually soft. “I’ve been waiting for this moment when I first saw you in the precinct sporting that horrendous mustache.”  


The air was thick with tension.  


  


Sonny felt ill.

  


Who was this man who was slowly walking towards him with a look so soft on his face it made Sonny’s stomach twist and turn.

“I’ve waited all of my life for this moment,” Barba stepped into Sonny’s personal space, he could feel the warmth radiating off the other man. “For us both to finally be aware of each other at the same time.”  


Forest green eyes met stormy blue.  


Barba raised a hand to Sonny’s head and entrenched his fingers in the soft, silvery curl.  


A brow was cocked. “May I?”  


Sonny couldn’t do anything but nod.  


Barba guided Sonny’s mouth towards his own before he finally closed the gap.  


  


* * *

  


It was the first time he saw the boy on even ground.

The first time he knew that it was Rafael.  


Rafael knew that he was a time traveler.  


At one point Sonny had told him the dates he remembered visiting.  


Rafael had written them down, every single one of them.  


He turned up with clothes and water, he sheltered Sonny.  


Sonny couldn’t help but gaze in wonder at this boy who would grow up to be one of the most impressive men he would ever meet.  


As he listened to the boy talk about his hopes and dreams for the future Sonny couldn’t help but reassure him.  


Everything would turn out alright in the end.  


  


* * *

  


Barba- No,  _ Rafael _ , insisted on taking him to dinner.

A hole in the wall Cuban restaurant which reminded the ADA of his abuelita’s cooking.  


Rafael ordered in Spanish, no menu required.  


They talked about nothing, the date, the time, the case.  


Until finally it was time to have  _ the _ conversation.  


Rafael began by arching his brow. “I suppose you have questions.”  


“Uh… Yes?”  


“I’ve been absolutely bursting to tell you,” Rafael sounded far more excited, more enthused than he ever had previously. “You told me to be normal, so I’ve been playing normal.”  


Sonny just nodded, unsure how else to respond.  


“I’ve been waiting forever to meet you,” jumbled words continued to fall from Rafael’s mouth. “I’ve known you forever, since you appeared to me in the alley behind my abuelita’s apartment.”  


A waiter interrupted them, bringing their food to the table.  


The food, Sonny had to admit, smelt good, really good.  


Before the man could leave, Sonny quickly ordered a beer.  


A small frown appeared on Rafael’s face.  


“You’re not supposed to drink,” he muttered as the waiter walked away.  


“Yeah,” Sonny couldn’t help but scoff. “Why’s that?”  


“You told me Dr. Kendrick said you should stop drinking,” Rafael explained. “That it sets off the...fit, the travel.”  


Sonny just shook his head.  


When the waiter placed the beer in front of him he picked it up and raised it to his lips. He took a swig before slamming it on the table in defiance.  


“I’m sorry,” Rafael stated calmly before he picked up his fork and began to eat.  


Sonny couldn’t help but feel guilty. “No, it’s just...” He struggled to find the right words. “This is crazy.”  


Rafael cocked a brow before he leaned down to open up his briefcase. He removed a pen and his notepad.  


Sonny watched as Rafael drew two straight lines on the paper. Above one he wrote Rafael, above the other Sonny.  


He tried to explain. “This line is my life, and this line is your life.”  


Rafael made a slash in the middle of Sonny’s line. “This is you, now, tonight.”  


“At some point in the future you cross back.” Rafael drew another line from Sonny’s timeline that connects at an earlier part of his own. “This is when I met you.”  


“When you were a child?”  


“And many more times after.” Sonny returned Rafael’s warm smile. “As I grew older I couldn’t wait to see you again. I was eighteen the last time I saw you.” His voice wavered.  


Sonny automatically grabbed the other man’s hand.  


Rafael’s head snapped up.  


The familiar viridian eyes made Sonny’s heart jump.  


He knew Rafael was speaking the truth.  


“It seems you travel to the same locations,” a smile toyed at Rafael’s face.  


“It’s like gravity,” Sonny explained. “Big events pull you in.”  


Rafael’s smile turned cocky.  


“Am I a big event?”  


“It appears so.”  


  


* * *

  


Sonny’s world was spinning, his head felt as though it had been split open when he hit the pavement.

It wouldn’t be the first time.  


His stomach rolled as he felt something poke him followed by whispered words in Spanish. It was gentle at first and then it was hard.  


“Get up, pervert.”

“Leave him alone.”

“Raf-”  


“Get the fuck outta here, Alejandro.”  


Sonny lifted his head and opened an eye.  


Rafael was staring at him.  


“It’s you.”  


“Uh…”  


“You said you’d be back on the seventeenth,” Rafael’s eyes were wide as shock and a little awe rippled through his voice. “I didn’t believe you.”  


“Do you have any clothes?”  


“Yes!” He watched Rafael scramble behind the dumpster. “I hid these just in case-” He threw the clothes over to Sonny.  


“I decided to show?”  


Sonny couldn’t help but chuckle as he dressed himself.  


“Who are you?”  


“Sonny.”  


“Hi,” there were clearly stars in the boy’s eyes. “I’m Rafael.”  


Sonny felt his world shift again. “Thanks for the hospitality, kid, but it looks like it wasn’t needed.”  


“Wait! Will you be back?”

“You’ll see me again sooner rather than later.”

The boy’s tone was desperate. “When?”

Sonny disappeared before he could answer.

  


* * *

  


Rafael Barba surprised Sonny.

  


He was patient and kind, more so than the detective had assumed.

They ate meals together, discussed cases, and took long walks, something he never expected from the ADA.

Rafael Barba took his breath away.

When they finally kissed it wasn’t fireworks, wasn’t magical.

It was perfect.

Rafael Barba was the one.

  


* * *

  


Teenage Rafael Barba was so different to his childhood self.

He was more quiet, more reserved, yet just as brash and bold as ever.

He was a conundrum, the perfect teenager.

He looked at Sonny with wide eyes and shy smiles, always inching closer, trying to press himself against an older, handsome man.

Sonny just brushed him off, moved away and talked about the future.

About Rafael’s future.

He was careful not to speak of his own.

  


* * *

  


The first night Sonny spent with Rafael was everything he ever wanted and more. 

Every touch, every kiss, every lick, every bite.

Everything set Sonny on fire.

Everything was perfect.

For the first time since he discovered he could travel, he felt as though everything was right in the world.

  


* * *

  


Traveling back to meet a younger Rafael became increasingly frequent as he started to fall for his older self.

Sonny was starting to look forward to traveling.

Until the headaches and nausea hit him.

Even so he enjoyed meeting Rafael’s younger selves.

From the young boy to the surly teenager, he fascinated Sonny.

He was becoming attached.

And that thought scared the hell out of him.

  


* * *

  


Rafael was perfect.

Almost like a dream.

Before too long they were living together, an apartment on the upper east side.

Actual bliss.

  


* * *

  


“Sonny?” 

His name still sounded foreign in the boy’s mouth. “Yes, Rafael?”

“Will you ever get married?” The question was innocent enough.

Sonny shrugged, marriage was something he thought would be unattainable to him. He didn’t want to tell the kid that.

“I’m not sure, I’d like to though.”

“But?” The kid kept pushing.

Sonny tried to deflect. “But what?”

“You’re scared.” Rafael had always been a perceptive boy.

“Sure am, kid.”

“Why?” It was always why, or but, or will. Endless questions from an inquisitive mind.

His answer was blunter than expected. “Only a fool wouldn’t be.”

Who would want to marry Sonny anyway? He’d probably miss his own wedding.

  


* * *

  


He awoke to the smell and sounds of sizzling bacon.

  


Rafael was cooking.

  


That was enough to make Sonny force himself out of bed and into their kitchen.

The prosecutor rarely cooked, and when he did it was never anything fancy.  Which is why Sonny was impressed by the veritable feast before his eyes.

“Sit,” Rafael gestured to to table.

Sonny did as commanded.

“Eat.”

“Yes, sir.”

Rafael always looked beautiful when he smiled. “Don’t get cocky with me.”

“No, sir.”

Rafael looked stern for a moment before he broke out laughing, Sonny soon followed.

The warmth Rafael showed Sonny always relaxed him.  “I’ll join you in a moment.”

Sonny ate his cooked meal with vigor, enjoying the feast which had been laid out before him.

Rafael took pride in his work, explaining each and every thing he had created specifically for Sonny.

After both were sated Sonny helped Rafael clean up their leftovers, putting some away for later and Sonny found himself elbow deep in the sink.

He had always enjoyed washing the dishes, he found it grounding. 

He hummed, and occasionally sang, as the suds grew.

“Sonny.”

Rafael’s voice was soft, full of warmth, enough to enrich Sonny’s heart.

“Yes, Rafael?”  Strong arms snaked around his waist.

His next words were earnest. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Sonny replied in kind.

“I want to spend every day of my life proving this to you,” kisses were pressed to the back of Sonny’s shoulders, the back of his neck.

Sonny was in absolute bliss. Every soft kiss sent a shiver down his spine.

“I want to marry you, Sonny,” Rafael murmured.

  


Sonny’s heart stopped.

  


Then he was gone.

  


* * *

  


The small boy was screaming.

  


Fighting.

  


Biting.

  


It took Sonny longer than necessary to wrestle him off the road.

Sonny himself was in shock, for once the boy wasn’t Rafael.

  


It was him.

  


Soft dirty blond hair that stuck up at all angles. 

Overly large blue eyes, red from crying, the streaks down his cheek were proof of that.

“Wh-where am I?” His voice was stretched thin. “Where’s Nonno?”

“There’s nothing you can do, Sonny,” he remembered this far too well. 

He wrapped his younger self into a blanket, trying to stop him from struggling.

“Let me go!”

“Sonny,” he growled. “I know what happened, Nonno was driving and then suddenly the car was spinning.”

He remembered it like yesterday.

“Then you were home,” his voice cracked. “Watching Mom and Pop read to you and Bells.”

The young boy stopped.

“You traveled back in time, Sonny,” each word was so hard to say. “Just like me. Feel that cut on your forehead?”

The boy nodded.

Sonny pulled back his fringe to show the boy the exact same scar.

To show him that they were the exact same person.

“We’re the same, Sonny. I am you.”

Sirens were wailing in the distance, drawing closer.

Both of them looked over towards the burning wreck that was once Sonny’s Nonno’s car.

“I have to go now, but I will be back.”

His younger self looked at him, tears spilt from his eyes. “I don’t understand.”

“You will someday.”

Then he was gone, leaving his younger self alone once again.

  


* * *

  


“Sonny?”

  


Rafael’s crystal voice was the first thing he heard. 

He opened his eyes.

And there the prosecutor was, crouched before him, eyes wide, face full of concern.

“How long have I been gone?” Each word stuck in his dry mouth.

Rafael stood up and moved out of sight. “Three days.”

“Longer than ever then,” he felt despondent.

A glass of water was pressed into his hand. A frown set upon his lover’s face. “Was this because of what I asked?”

“What,” Sonny’s features scrunched tight. “No.”

“Then why?” Rafael’s voice cracked.

Sonny didn’t have an answer to that. Rafael was moving back to the kitchen, he was avoiding looking at Sonny.

A thought clicked in his mind and Sonny took a different tact. “Yes.”

“Hmmn?”

“I will marry you,” he said the words slowly.  


Then Rafael was still, frozen under the weight of Sonny’s words. “You will?”

“Yes,” his smile so bright that his joy was contagious.

Rafael offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet. “I love you.”

Their foreheads pressed together.

“I love you too.”

  


* * *

  


Seventeen year old Rafael was studious, more so than Sonny had even been at the same age.

He dreamed of ivy covered walls and spoke of escape.

The boy was inspiring.

Sonny wanted to spill all of his secrets, let the boy know that everything would turn out just as he planned. That Harvard was on the horizon.

He couldn’t do that though.

Instead he teased their first meeting, where Rafael would be the one with the power.

As a satisfied smirk curled around the younger man’s mouth Sonny knew that he relished the idea.

It was Sonny’s first real glimpse of the Rafael Barba that he had come to know.

That he had come to love.

So he indulged the boy as much as possible, hoping that he would once again tease that smirk to the boy’s face.

  


* * *

  


Rafael had gone into overdrive planning the wedding. He took over everything not wanting to stress Sonny out.

  


Stress was a trigger.

Along with drinking.

  


Or at least that was what Dr. Kendrick advised them after he had finally succumbed to Rafael’s begging. It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to meet the doctor, he was just nervous.

  


That was normal.

  


Sonny wasn’t the only one with the time travel gene, there were others out there just like him.

It made Sonny feel a little less alone.

  


* * *

  


Traveling made him feel so alone.

He always found himself somewhere inhospitable, dangerous even.

He hated it.

First he was there.

Then he was gone.

  


* * *

  


The wedding arrived sooner than Sonny was prepared for.

Not that he didn’t want to marry Rafael, of course he did. 

He just felt as though they had ran out of time.

Not that it mattered.

The moment that Bella knocked on the door to tell him it was time he was gone.

  


* * *

  


Young Rafael was always his favorite to visit.

He was always full of hope, of smiles, always so happy to see Sonny.

Which eased the traveler’s pain a little.

He was terrified about what was happening with the wedding.

No one bar Rafael would know why he had disappeared, they’d just assume that the prosecutor had been left at the altar.

Sonny didn’t want that, he couldn’t handle Rafael being hurt.

“Why are you so sad?” The small voice cut through his thoughts.

Sonny forced a smile. “I may end up missing something important.”

“What’s that?” The boy had always been curious.

“My wedding.”

“Oh,” Rafael’s face scrunched into a ball, a pout fell onto his lips. “It wasn’t meant to be then.”

“It was… I just got sidetracked.”

“You don’t love her enough,” the boy was angry.

Now Sonny was curious. “Why would you say that?”

“If you loved her you would be there and not here with me,” each word was accented with a sob. “You love me.”

“Rafael--”

He paused.

He had no idea how he could comfort the boy, so he changed tack.

“No matter what happens you’ll always be special.”

“I know,” Rafael took a deep breath. “’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

And it was.

  


* * *

  


He arrived where he had departed from, his suit still there, a note pinned to it in Bella’s hand.

  


_ He’s waiting for you _ .

  


Sonny quickly dressed himself before heading towards the reception.

He wondered just how much of the day he had ruined.

As he approached the large hall where they had chosen to have their event he heard laughter and music. Warmth filled him, everything was okay. 

He heard a faint announcement in the distance. “ _ Now Mr Barba and Mr Carisi will share their first dance as husbands. _ ”

Sonny made his way to the crowd to be met with a dazzling sight. Rafael alone, in his suit, a concerned look on his face. 

He dashed over and offered his hand.

He was met with a smile.

“You’re late,” the words were hissed into his ear.

Sonny blushed. “It seems you did fine without me.”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

As they swayed to the beat the music washed over them.

  


_ Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I can’t help falling in love with you _ .

  


“I love you, Rafael Barba.”

“I love you, Dominick Carisi.”

  


_ So take my hand, take my whole life too. I just can’t help, falling in love with you _ .

  


* * *

  


Married life didn’t change much, he still traveled regularly to the past.

Still found himself struggling to survive.

Then he’d find his way back home, and his husband would be there. They would spend their days wrapped in one another, content.

It was all Sonny could ask for.

Then there were days that were not okay.

  


Shouting.

  


Screaming.

  


Passionate arguments which ended in heated kisses, clothes strewn on the floor, and naked bodies intertwined together.

It was rough.

It was predictable.

They were happy.

  


* * *

  


Blood everywhere, his face, his body.

He scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed.

The blood wouldn’t come off.

Work was getting harder, Sonny was struggling to cope.

He was terrified he would disappear in front of Rollins, or Fin or even the Lieutenant.

He was lucky he hadn’t.

He heard the lock click, Rafael was home.

“Sonny?”

Rafael’s voice echoed throughout the quiet apartment.

Sonny wanted to answer, he wanted to scream, the noise was stuck.

Soon Rafael found him, scrubbed raw in the shower.

“Sonny.”

Rafael managed to pull him from the shower and wrap him in a towel.

“Shhh,” he hummed. 

He guided him to the bedroom, together they sat on the bed.

Rafael let him sob into his neck.

Then he was gone.

  


* * *

  


He was naked, in a hotel, crumpled suit at his feet.

  


Shit.

  


“Sonny.”

Bella was pounding on the door. It made his head ache.

“It’s time to go.”

“Just a minute.”

His voice sounded raspy.

He quickly dressed himself and frowned. The suit was a tighter fit that he remembered.

He wandered towards the mirror so he could put on his tie.

His appearance floored him.

There was more grey than there should have been at his temples, more wrinkles at his eyes. 

There was another knock at the door.

“Come on in Bells,” he croaked as he tied the satin material around his neck.

“Finally Son--”

She stopped dead.

“Sonny? You look…”

“Old?” She nodded wordlessly. “Can you do me a favor, Bells? At some point tonight I will disappear. Can you make sure this suit ends up back here for me.”

“Sonny--”

“I can’t explain? Just promise.”

“I promise.”

He drew her into a hug and squeezed her tightly.

“Let’s get me married.”

He took Bella’s hand and used it as an anchor.

Hours ago he had been held at gunpoint. The memories still fresh but he refused to let them ruin his day.

Their day.

Rafael had spoken about the day on countless occasions.

He had seen pictures.

Finally, after many years he was actually going to live it.

  


* * *

  


When he opened his eyes Rafael was sitting on the bed, legs drawn into himself.

He practically breathed his name. “Rafael.”

“Sonny?” The man scrambled to his feet. “I was so worried.”

His smile was soft.

“Don’t be.”

“What happened?”

“We got married.”

  


* * *

  


He hit the ground with a sickening crack.

He lifted his hand to the side of his temple, it was wet.

Bright red blood stained his fingers.

“Uncle Sonny?”

He whipped his head up only to be met by a young girl with blonde hair and stunning blue eyes.

“S-Sofia?”

“Uncle Sonny!” She shrieked before running over to hug him.

“You look big.” And older than he remembered.

She shrugged off the jacket she was wearing and passed it to him.

“Who’s that?” 

Sonny craned his neck. There was a small boy with messy blond hair and the same wide blue eyes.

“Go get Uncle Raf Ian,” she called.

“Why?”

“Just go.”

The boy threw a pout before he scampered inside.

Sonny scanned his location, his heart hammering when he realized he knew where he was.

Bella’s house.

“Sofia,” he grabbed her arm. “What year is this?”

“Two thousand and twenty three.”

His heart stopped.

“You’re eight?”

She nodded proudly. “Almost.”

He felt sick, his stomach started to swim.

“No, Uncle Sonny.”

She grabbed him by the face and forced his blue eyes to meet her matching ones.

“I need you to stay.”

“It doesn’t work that way, baby girl.”

“Uncle Raf needs to see you.”

His heart almost broke at the way that she said those words. It sounded like it wasn’t a possibility.

“Sing with me, Uncle Sonny.”

“What do you want me to sing?”

  


“ _ When the night has come, and the land is dark. _ ”

  


Her voice cracked. Sonny’s heart throbbed. It was their song.

He had sung this to Sofia when he first had held her in his arms.

He had sung it to her when he babysat for his sister.

It was their song.

  


“ _ And the moon, is the only light we see. _ ”

  


He joined her. 

He focused on the words. 

He focused on staying.

  


“ _ No I won’t be afraid, no I won’t be afraid. Just as long as you stand by me _ .”

  


A familiar timbre joined them.

Sonny whipped his head up only to see Rafael and the small boy rushing over.

  


“ _ And darling, darling, stand by me _ .”

  


Rafael wound his arms around him.

  


“ _ Oh now, now, stand by me _ .”

  


Sonny felt wetness on his face.

Rafael was crying.

He reached up to touch the man.

  


“ _ Stand by me _ .”

  


He felt himself fading.

  


“ _ Stand by me _ .”

  


He was gone.

  


* * *

  


When he came to he was in Rafael’s arms once more. A wet cloth pressed to his forehead.

The water in the bowl next to them was tinged red.

It was blood.

“Sonny.”

Rafael’s voice sounded like music to Sonny’s hears.

He didn’t expect the relieved sob that tore through his body.

“Sonny? Are you okay?”

He croaked his answer. “I think I’m going to die.”

“Sonny.”

He had to look away, he couldn’t meet his husband’s eyes.

“Soon.”

He took a deep breath.

“I’m going to die soon.”

  


* * *

  


His death weighed heavily on him.

Every time he saw Rafael as a child or a teenager. As a thirty year old or an eighty year old.

It was always at the forefront of his mind.

Even when he and Rafael vacationed together.

Even when his nephew was born.

It was there, in his thoughts, pestering him.

In the end it was a stray bullet from a shootout, one he had survived before.

He was shot through the gut, disappearing slowly as he bled out.

It was Rafael who found him bleeding on their apartment floor.

Who dialed nine-one-one with shaking bloodied hands.

By the time the EMT’s arrived it was too late.

Sonny had breathed his last breath.

He was gone.

  


* * *

  


“Uncle Raf.”

Ian ran over to him panting.

It was a rare occasion that Bella requested that he watched her children. Of course he had said yes.

His motives were entirely selfish though.

When Ian came running over and shouted at him, he knew.

Sonny was there.

Rafael leapt to his feet and followed the young boy. They ran down the stairs, out the back and onto the waterfront.

There was Sonny, happy and smiling. 

Surrounded by a halo of light, the setting sun illuminated him.

He was an angel.

Rafael ran over to him and let himself be held by the man he loved.

The man who he always loved.

His time traveling husband.

And just for a moment, time stood still and everything was right in the world.

Rafael was at peace.


End file.
